DSM-5 defines a mental disorder as a syndrome characterized by clinically significant disturbance in an individual’s cognition, emotion regulation, or behavior that reflects a dysfunction in the psychological, biological, or developmental processes underlying mental functioning.
When people ask whether mental illness exists, I think they mean: Does mental illness have physical, or material causes, like a concussion or influenza? Can it be tested, diagnosed, and treated as reliably as any physical illness? or not. Such arguments can appear to downplay the lived experience of mental distress, its embodiment, and the potential role of medications.
Szasz writes that after establishing himself as a psychiatrist around 1950, he became interested in writing myths of mental illness when he became convinced that the concept of madness was vague and inadequate.
Mental illness is a metaphor. Minds can be ‘sick’ only in the sense that jokes are ‘sick’ or economies are ‘sick.
Psychiatrists are not concerned with mental illnesses and their treatments. In actual practice, they deal with personal, social, and ethical problems in living.
In his 1960 article “The Myth of Mental Illness,” Szasz wrote:
The assumption is made that some neurological defect, perhaps a very subtle one, will ultimately be found for all the disorders of thinking and behavior. Many contemporary psychiatrists, physicians, and other scientists hold this view… . I have tried to show that for those who regard mental symptoms as signs of brain disease, the concept of mental illness is unnecessary and misleading. For what they mean is that people so labeled suffer from diseases of the brain; and, if that is what they mean, it would seem better for the sake of clarity to say that and not something else.
Proponents of mental illness diagnoses, on the other hand, argue that mental illness is as real as physical illness, and that diagnosis can help people get the care they need.
It is important to note that diagnosis is primarily determined by symptoms. If patients have these symptoms and they interfere with functioning, they are usually diagnosed. This is very different from how most people think about the nature of illness.
Mental illness is the result of a combination of factors, genes, childhood trauma, and the obligation to keep up with society and its evolution.
Mental illness affects my daily life in many ways:
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Getting out of bed: At the start of the day, I get overwhelmed by the amount of negative thoughts that scares me from getting out, doing my daily tasks, and facing the world.
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Getting dressed: for someone who’s working or even studying, having a shower and wearing nice clothes is a normal thing, but for those with a low level of mental health it’s a complicated process, you have to think about an outfit every day and do your skincare or haircare every day.
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Eating and drinking: mental illness can affect appetite and thirst, as can side effects of medications. This can lead to overeating or eating too little.
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Being alone: mental illness can affect our friendships and relationships, making it difficult to be with people, but it can also make it difficult to be alone. If you’re alone it’s hard to silence the voices in your head that give you different feelings, from high to low self-esteem.
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Being around people: being anxious about what people are thinking about you, whether are they going to talk about you when you’re gone, do they like you or they’re just pretending and acting, you can’t make a difference between jokes or real things, that make the person’s capacity to communicate and being with his coworkers, friends and even family an exhausting thing so he would rather be alone again.
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Spending money: it’s either overspending on unnecessary, unwanted things or holding money and not buying anything even if you’re in a situation of need. Dating and relationships: lack of confidence can make you feel unloved or worthless, and can make it difficult to even approach the idea of dating and having a serious relationship. Looking at other couples and thinking if you would be able to be in a relationship one day.
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Looking after our physical health: thinking about going to the dentist leads to many fears and anxieties. Fear of the dentist can lead to long-term avoidance. Other health appointments, such as a visit to the optician, can also be exhausting.
Many people have mental health issues from time to time. However, when persistent signs and symptoms cause frequent stress and interfere with functioning, mental health problems become a mental illness, and seeking professional help is necessary.